Save Her!
by Miss AlyB
Summary: She was just plain, predictable, boring Jamie. What happens when the La Push player imprints on her? He'll find out this simple girl comes with a secret. One that can destroy the life she knows. Soon the truth comes out - in a life threatening way. Will he be able to save her when her secret begins to threaten her life? Will he even want to? Find out! Read, love, REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

"Speaking of freaks, look at what just walked in." Audrey Walker snorted.

"She is such a dork," her best friend, Vivian Jones, replied.

"Well she certainly isn't as sexy as you," Paul Lahote purred at the girl sitting on top of his lap.

Kim glared at them from Jared's side. "Hey! She's a perfectly nice girl. She's my best friend."

"And yet even you traded up," Audrey snapped from Paul's lap.

"I heard her freak show of a mother is coming back to town," Vivian said.

"Why would she want to come back to her dork of a daughter and nerd of a husband?" Audrey asked.

"She's coming back to research the wolves," Kim said. "She's a wildlife biologist. She's been up in Canada studying their wildlife. The chief of police came to her asking her to find a way to get the wolves to leave." Jared smirked.

"Well if she wants to study animals, then she should look at her daughter," Audrey said.

"Oh shut up," Kim snapped, "Jamie Mathias is NOT a freak."

With that, Kim stood up and dragged Jared over to where Jamie was sitting. While Audrey and Vivian went on and on about some party they went to last week while he was on patrol, Paul looked over at Jamie.

He had to admit that Jamie wasn't really that bad looking. She was about five foot with long brown hair pulled off to the side in her traditional braid. She was wearing her usual uniform of long blue jeans, flats, and a thick brown sweater. She always wore that same brown sweater every day. She never looked any different. She was plain, boring, and predictable.

She was shy, reserved, and never talked to anyone besides Kim. She was the complete opposite of the girls Paul liked to sleep with. Audrey was the perfect example. Audrey was hot, sexy, and rarely wore more than short shorts and a low cut tank top. She was probably the easiest girl he had ever hooked up with. It only took two drinks at a party and a half hour of smooth talking. He was just that good. He would have already dropped Audrey just like he did with all the other girls, but the sex with Audrey was just too good. He knew he would have to leave her eventually. Audrey was becoming too clingly and possessive. She may be his girlfriend, but what she didn't understand was that she was only his girlfriend _for now._ There was no way Paul was going to be tied down – especially not to vain, shallow Audrey.

Paul was just thinking about dumping Audrey tonight after they had sex when he looked over again at Jared. Poor bastard was stuck sitting with Kim and Jamie. Kim was doing all of the talking because Jamie could barely look at him.

Just as he was feeling sorry for Jared, Jamie looked over at him. It was as if he was hit by a train. He was suddenly looking into the most beautiful brown eyes. She was gorgeous. How had he never noticed that? Jamie was suddenly everything to him. He would throw himself in front of a train if that made her happy. He felt as if he was a blind man looking into the sun for the first time.

_Oh crap._


	2. Chapter 2

**Set a month after the battle with the newborns but before Bella and Edward's wedding.**

* * *

"You did not!" Quil said laughing.

"I don't understand. Why is this so funny? It's nice that Paul will finally settle down," Emily said. The entire Pack had gathered at Sam and Emily's house for dinner when Jared brought up what happened at lunch.

"I am not going to settle down! Especially not with Jamie!" Paul hissed.

"What's the matter with Jamie?" Emily asked confused.

"Nothing," Jared said, "she's just the complete opposite of the girls he usually, erm, goes for."

"Yeah she's not an air-headed slut," Leah muttered.

"Oh shut up Leah. No one asked you," Paul growled, "I did not imprint. Jamie means nothing to me." He winced as he felt a twinge of pain in his heart from his statement.

"Oh he so did. You should have seen him at lunch. He had this deer in the headlights look." Jared proceeded to imitate Paul.

"I swear to God Jared. I will rip your head off your body right this instant if you don't stop."

"Oh relax Paul," Sam said.

"It's not so bad of a thing," Emily said.

"Yeah. Jamie may be as boring as hell, but I've had a few classes with her. She doesn't seem that bad," Quil said.

"You may even find you like settling down and being with only one girl," Emily said.

It was no secret that Emily didn't like the fact Paul slept around. She even went so far as to ban them from her house when Paul brought one to lunch and she laughed at Emily's scars. It took all of Sam's willpower not to phase.

"I did not imprint."

"Yes you did," Jacob said. "Jamie was all you could think about during patrol today."

"At least it's better than being in love with a soon-to-be leech. She's even marrying one for God's sake, and she's still all you think about. Whatever. I'm only going to say this one more time. I did not imprint, and I'll prove it." With that, Paul stormed out the door.

_If I can sleep with Audrey, then that proves I didn't imprint on the world's dullest girl._

He remembered what Quil did after he imprinted on two year old Claire. Quil had tried to move on. He didn't wanted to be stuck waiting around for Claire to grow up, so he asked out a girl named Sarah. At the end of the date, she asked him inside but he couldn't do it. Quil claimed it felt as if a knife was stabbing him in the heart; it was too big of a betrayal to his imprint.

_I did not imprint. I can prove it. At least, I __hope__ I can._

* * *

Audrey moaned as Paul pressed her up against her bedroom door.

"Ooooh Paul. Yes, right there," she groaned as he kissed down her neck. "Paul?"

_Shit! I can't do it._

"I can't do this Audrey."

"What? Can't get it up?" She sneered.

"I can't do this anymore with you, Audrey. I have to end things between us."

She looked shocked. "Why? Is there someone else? I know you. I've heard what all the other girls say about you, like how you sleep with girls and then toss them away. I thought it was different with us. I'm so much better than those other girls."

"I'm sorry Audrey."

She took one look at him and realized he was serious. He was really breaking up with her.

"GET OUT!" She screamed. "No one breaks up with me! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Paul looked at her. He _really _looked at her and realized how ugly she really was. Her hair and makeup were all messed up, and the veins in her neck were showing from her anger.

Jamie would never act that way.

_Where the hell did that come from?_ Paul wondered as he drove away. I know where it came from. His inner wolf smirked at him, seeming to almost say 'I told you so.'

* * *

"So? How was Audrey?"

"You were right Jared," Paul said as he walked through Emily's front door. "I just had to go imprint on the most boring girl in the world." He felt another twinge in his heart; it was getting harder and harder to insult her.

"What? The great Paul Lahote couldn't have sex?" Leah snorted.

"Oh hush Leah. I think it's great that Paul has imprinted. He's going to be so happy," Emily predicted.

"Of course you would think that. I wonder how Audrey feels about all this." Leah's reminder shut everyone up. Even though Paul and Audrey were no way as serious as Sam and Leah, their stories were pretty similar. Paul had to ditch Audrey because he'd imprinted. Just like Sam dumped Leah for Emily.

"Oh don't worry," Paul assured everyone. "I'm sure that she'll be hooking up with a new guy by tomorrow."

"So are you going to go talk to Jamie?" Embry wanted to know.

"I'll see her tomorrow."

"Just be careful with her," Jared warned. "She's going through a lot."

"And just how would you know this?" Irrationally Paul began to picture Jared in love with Jamie. The image made him want to rip his pack mate apart.

"Kim." Oh right.

"Well what's she going through?" Paul asked impatiently.

"I can't tell you."

"She's my freaking imprint. Don't you think I deserve to know?"

Jared sighed. "Of course I do, but I honestly can't tell you. Not even Kim would tell me what was going on with Jamie. I have no idea what happened. All I know is she's been through a rough time. You should stay away from her if all you're going to do is just sleep with her and then ditch her the next day."

"I promise. It's different this time," Paul paused. "She's different."


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all, I would like to thank a very special person. Reader5sam has not only read but reviewed/favorite/followed all of my stories. I really do appreciate the love and support!**

* * *

"Paul! Where have you been? Were you with that girl?" Emily's disgust towards his one night stands paled in comparison to his grandmother's feelings.

"No Grandmother. I ended things with her."

"Oh. Now who are you … with?" She tried to pretend that she didn't know exactly what Paul did with his so called girlfriends (she was too old fashioned).

"I'm not with anyone right now." He took a deep breath. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh no! Did you get someone pregnant?" Further proof she knew exactly what happened between Paul and all the many other girls.

"No! Grandmother I imprinted." Paul told her a few weeks after he first phased. It was getting too difficult to sneak out at night and keep lying to her about it in the morning.

She gasped. "Oh Paul!" She had tears in her eyes. "Oh sweetie, I'm so happy for you! I can't believe you finally found her!" She came over to give him a hug. "So … who is she? What's her name? Do I know her? What's she like? Oh you two are going to be so happy!"

"Whoa. Slow down. I haven't even talked to her yet."

"Well why in the world not?"

"Well I was with someone else. I just now ended things with her. Besides, I don't even know if she's going to want to be with me."

She scoffed. "Why wouldn't she? You're my grandson after all."

"I haven't exactly had the best past," Paul said awkwardly.

"Don't worry about that sweetie. You know your father didn't have the best past either."

This was new. Paul's parents died in a car accident when he was only nine years old. His grandmother moved back to La Push from Seattle to raise him. She rarely ever talked about his father though. She claimed it was too hard to talk about a dead child. "He didn't?"

"Oh no. He was horrible!" She laughed sadly. "He used to go steady with a different girl each month! He forgot all about it though when he met your mother though. It was something akin to love at first sight with those two. I remember him coming home from college one day saying he had met the love of his life. Then two years later, he came back home to me to tell me he was going to propose to her. Goodness, he was a wreck that day. He was absolutely terrified Julia would say no. He was also so ashamed."

Paul hated the thought of interrupting the story. It was the longest story he had ever heard from her about his father, but she had trailed off and stopped talking.

"Ashamed of what?"

She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. "Can't you guess? Of all those other girls he had been with. Same as you. But you want to know what I told him?"

"What?"

"Get over yourself," she said chuckling. "Your mother fell in love with your father. Not his past. She doesn't care about who he had been with and neither will this girl. Want to know why? Because if you really truly love her, then all those other girls before her will cease to matter. Being with her will be like your first time all over again because it will be your first time with _her._"

"Thanks Grandmother."

"There's nothing to thank me for," she replied smiling warmly at Paul. "Oh and Paul?" she asked as she slowly started to stand. "You better bring that girl over here for dinner."

Paul promised as she left him alone with his thoughts.

Right then and there he made a promise to himself: He was going to make it up to Jamie. Make up for all the horrible things he had said about her. Make up for never standing up for her when people (and not just Audrey) made fun of her. Make up for all those other girls he had been with when he was too blind to see her beauty. Make up to _everything._


	4. Chapter 4

"Jamie, I'm really sorry for everything. You know, for the way that I treated you. Will you please let me take you out? Let me make up for every awful thing I ever did to you. Please?"

"Yes. I would love to."

Well … too bad that never happened.

_Okay. You can do this Paul. You can talk to any girl in the world and you decided to pick __now__ to suddenly feel shy? It's your own freaking imprint. You're supposed to be able to talk to her. You can talk to her. You can so talk to her. You can do this. You can do this. _

I walked into the cafeteria and saw her beautiful figure sitting at an empty lunch table.

_Yeah, I can't do this. _

"H-hello? M-may I help you?" Jamie stuttered as she looked up from the book she was reading when Paul stood in front of her.

_Say something cool and smooth. Cool and smooth. _"Why are you reading?" He blurted out. _Smooth… _

"E-excuse me?"

"I mean…"

"He means why are you reading during lunch? Is it because you have no friends?" Came a nasally sounding voice dripping in fake concern.

"Audrey," Paul acknowledged, "go away."

"Awww c'mon Paulie. You know you don't mean that."

"Never call me that again. Then again, never call me again in general. Just leave."

"That's not what you've been saying to me these past few weeks whenever you want me," she insinuated.

Jamie must have caught on to Audrey's meaning because she started blushing. "I should go."

"No!" I said panicking.

"Yes," Audrey snapped.

Jamie looked between Paul and Audrey. She stood up and ran out of the cafeteria without a backwards glance.

Paul sighed and turned to glare at Audrey. "What do you want?" He asked her harshly.

"You coming over tonight? Me and my bed sure have missed you."

"No Audrey. We're over. Leave me alone."

He began to walk away from her, but she grabbed onto his arm and refused to let go. "Why? Is it because of that antisocial freak?" She demanded.

"Don't talk about her like that," he growled. "You don't know her."

"Neither do you," she shot back.

Paul roughly pulled his arm from her grasp. "Hopefully that'll change."

"It never will when she finds out about your past. She'll never understand you like I do," Audrey screamed as Paul walked away from her without a backwards glance.

* * *

**Hey! Okay so I was thinking of doing the next chapter from Jamie's perspective. Raise your hand if you want to find out her big secret! ;D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow! I'm really impressed by all the positive responses I've gotten from this story in such a short amount of time! It just warms my heart. So sorry for the late update, but you know how it is with school and work. I'll try to update once a week, usually on a weekend day. Anyway I decided to mix it up and write this chapter from Jamie's perspective. But keeping with the rest of the story it'll still be written in third person. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

"Hi sweetie. How was your day?" Mom asked

"Fine," Jamie said shortly as she gently closed her bedroom door.

She knew that she should be nicer to her, but it's just so hard to look at her. How can Jamie be nice to her when she can't even look at her? How messed up is that? She really wants to forgive her. She really does. But sometimes it's easier said than done.

She was really hoping for some peace and quiet but Jamie didn't have that type of luck. "Is there anything special you want for dinner?"

"What does Dad want? Or is he even coming?" Okay so it was a low blow, but Jamie just couldn't help herself.

"Oh," her mom said awkwardly. "He's actually not going to be able to make it." _Of course._ "He's just been really busy with work." _Sure he has._ "OH! I know! How about we order pizza and watch old movies? Like before? Please?" Jamie stayed silent. "I'm trying here Jamie. I really am, but things aren't going to get better around here if you don't try too. I want things to go back to normal. I really do."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have slept with your co-researcher while in Canada," Jamie snapped. Jamie gasped. She couldn't believe that she'd said that to her mother. Sure she may have been disgusted when she learned of her mother's betrayal, but she was still her mother. And right now her mother looked crushed.

"I'll go order a pizza and then start a movie. If you want to watch with me, then you're more than welcome. Or if you want, we could just sit and talk. I really did miss you."

Jamie sat unmoving in her room thinking about her mother's invitation. She knew she should go and talk to her. It was just so hard being in the same room as her.

It was two years ago that Jamie and her father waved a tearful good bye to her mother, Sarah. Sarah was going off into Canada with her fellow researcher, Elliot, for twenty four months to study northern wildlife in its natural setting. Before Sarah left them, she and Jamie were as close as mother and daughter could be. They used to spend all day just talking. They went out shopping together. They saw movies with each other. Because Jamie didn't have any other friends besides Kim, Sarah was Jamie's best friend. That's why it was especially difficult for Jamie to let her mother go. During those two years she was gone, Jamie and her father grew very close.

One day Jamie and her father, Leonard, were sitting in their little kitchen eating sandwiches, when a thick letter came in the mail with a Canadian address. Thinking it was Sarah, they opened the letter together. Inside were pictures of her infidelity. Leonard called Sarah that day and they had a huge fight over the phone.

It turned out that it was Sarah's lover, Elliot, who spilled the beans. Elliot had gotten tired of sleeping with her in private and wanted to take their relationship public. On the phone, Sarah swore that their affair hadn't started until after they arrived at Canada. Jamie wasn't so sure about that. The couple had spent hours together in a crowded office before they left on their travels.

When Sarah got the job offer from the chief of police, she broke things off with Elliot and rushed straight home. Once she got home, she realized that things had drastically changed. Leonard was a professor at a Seattle college, but he commuted back and forth because Sarah grew up in La Push. And he loved Sarah. Keyword: loved; past tense. Leonard gave up everything for her. He grew up in Seattle, but he was incredibly smart. He had been offered a chance to move and teach at Yale. He had just accepted the offer and went out to a party with some of his college friends who had just received their Ph.D. That's where he met her. She had a bright, sunny personality and a passion for wildlife. She was also the only girl who ever gave him a second glance. All the other girls he studied with while earning his doctorate never looked at him. At the time, he was tall but wiry with unruly brown hair and thick wire-rimmed glasses.

They spent the summer before he was supposed to leave together and fell in love. It became too painful for Leonard to leave her. He took a lesser job teaching at a local Seattle college to stay near her. Sarah's wildlife career was just beginning to take off. Although she did travel a lot in order to study these animals, she was never gone for more than a week at a time. If she ever had to go too far, Leonard would take a few personal days he was allotted and went with her. They knew each other for two years before he finally worked up enough courage to propose.

After all that he sacrificed for her, it completely blindsided him when he found that she could throw away the years of their marriage they spent together in only a few months with Elliot. Ever since he found out about his wife's unfaithfulness, he became secluded and isolated himself from his colleagues and daughter. Sarah had informed them that she was coming back early while Elliot stayed and finished up their research for the last month. Once she had announced her intentions, Leonard and Jamie had started being harassed from far away by Elliot. They had been receiving threatening letters and mysterious phone calls from someone they could only believe was him – the handwriting on their letters was the same as the handwriting as that horrid envelope about Sarah.

Jamie used to look up to her parents. She idolized their romance. She loved how her father gave up an amazing job opportunity for her mother. She wanted a love like that – a love so strong that it consumes you. Considering her social standing at school, it was becoming less and less likely she would ever have someone who loved her that much.

* * *

**I know her secret isn't very life threatening yet, but it will. We are NOT done with Elliot. He will reappear and will change Paul and Jamie's life forever. Just be patient. Wait for it. Wait for it.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh Jamie! I'm so glad that you decided to come down and eat with me!" Jamie's mother exclaimed.

"I just came down for dinner." Jamie looked at her mother's crestfallen face and added, "But since I'm down here, I might as well stay."

Sarah perked right up. "Sit, sit! Tell me about your day! How's school going? We haven't talked since … since I … left. So how's Kim I haven't seen her in forever."

"Neither have I."

"Why's that?"

Jamie sighed. "Ever since she started dating this Jared guy, I've hardly talked to her. Her entire life is consumed with thoughts of Jared, hanging out with Jared, or hanging out with Jared's friends."

"Well why don't you hang out with Jared's friends? That way you could still be around Kim."

"Jared's friends are … special. There are many rumors surrounding them. They're supposed to be in a gang. Some say that they even use and deal drugs. I don't know if they deal, but they definitely use. All of them are insanely tall and have these crazy muscles that no one can get from sheer exercise."

Jamie was having a hard time describing the La Push gang to her mother. She didn't want to say anything bad about them, but they certainly weren't good people.

"And lately one of them has taken a special interest in me."

Her mother squealed, "Oooh! Who is it? Is he cute? Are you interested in him? Oh wait! Is he single?"

"His name is Paul Lahote. And it doesn't matter if he's cute. He's a horrible person. He sleeps with a new girl every week. He has no regard for girls' feelings. He's probably on interested in me because his idiot friends put him up to it."

"Oh Jamie. Listen –"

Before she could finish her sentence, the kitchen door banged against the wall when it was flung open.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

"I'm talking to my daughter. Not that it's any of your business Leonard. Leave us alone," Sarah snapped.

"Of course it's my business. If you'll remember, I used to leave you alone. You took advantage of that and fucked some other guy! Did you think about her before you did it? Did your daughter ever cross your mind?! Did I?!"

"So that's what it comes down to, isn't it?" Sarah yelled. "You're just jealous that he could offer me more than you ever could!"

Sarah immediately looked repentant, and Jamie bit her lip. The two had been fighting nonstop ever since Sarah came back home. At first she was all smiles and tried to make up with Leonard. Leonard had other ideas. Their home hadn't been silent since she came back from Canada. The two had exchanged many insults in the past few weeks. This time, even Jamie could tell that her mother had crossed a line.

"EXCUSE ME! I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING! I GAVE UP A JOB WORKING AT AN IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE! I COULD HAVE BEEN AT YALE, BUT I DECIDED TO STAY WITH YOU! WHY? BECAUSE I LOVED YOU! I WAS WILLING TO FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH! WHAT THE HELL COULD HE HAVE EVER GIVEN YOU THAT I HAVEN'T ALREADY?" Leonard screamed.

Sarah stayed silent.

"Did you think about all I've sacrificed for you? Did you think about me in general when you slept with him?"

"Of course I thought about you Leonard. I love you."

He disregarded her last comment. "Did you wear it?" He waited for a response.

"Wear what? I don't understand."

"Your wedding ring. The thing that represents our love for each other. The thing that sealed our marriage. Well?! Did you? Did you wear it when you made love to another man?"

"Yes. Yes I wore it," she said quietly.

Leonard stayed silent for a few minutes, staring at his wife.

He quietly mumbled a few words.

"What?" Sarah asked.

"I want you out of here," he said calmly and clearly. "I want you out of my house, my life, and my daughter's life. Leave."

Sarah spluttered, "W–what?"

"Dad!" Jamie protested.

"I'll have Anthony Paz call you tomorrow," he said.

"Who's that?" Jamie asked. It seemed that her mother was so blindsided that she couldn't speak.

"A divorce lawyer," Leonard said.

Reality seemed to finally set in and Sarah said, "What? No! No lawyers! We can work this out!"

"No, no Sarah we can't. I can't. How can I? It sickens me to just look at you. I loved you. I loved you so much. I would have followed you anywhere, and now I want you out of here."

"But, but where will I go?"

"I don't care," he replied flatly.

"Dad! Please don't make her go!"

"I'm sorry Jamie." He turned to look at Sarah straight in the face. "Good bye Sarah," he said firmly.

With that, he walked away and Jamie's life would change forever. Nothing would be the same.

* * *

**So which point of view does everyone prefer? Jamie's or Paul's? **


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's my weekly update! I realized as I was rereading the story that I named Paul's mother as Sarah too. It **_**was**_** originally Sarah, but then I decided to change Jamie's mother's name to Sarah. It just seemed to fit better. His mother's name is now Julia. Sorry if that was confusing. I've also gone back and just fixed some small punctuation problems so this story is the best it can possibly be. Thanks for all the positive reviews! Now … on with the story!**

* * *

**PPOV**

"Talking to the imprint – take two. Will Paul be able to introduce himself? Yes or no?"

Jared laughed. "Given his most recent try, I'd have to say no."

"Oh shut up. Both of you," Paul snapped at Jared and Jacob. "At least Jamie isn't hooking up with a leech."

Jacob's eyes flashed. "Well at least Bella and I can hold a conversation. What about you Paul? What have you and Jamie talked about yet? Oh that's right. You've never had a conversation with her. Because when you last tried, one of your bimbo sluts ruined it for you. And you wanna know something? I'm glad. You've never liked Bella, and you haven't been shy in sharing your opinion. I'm so glad it's your turn to have love problems."

"Shut. Up. I will repeat it for the last time. I am NOT in love with the world's most boring girl."

"Oh yeah? Then why have you been constantly worrying about talking to her? You may not be in love with her yet, but you at least have some feelings for her," Jared pointed out.

Paul growled. "I used to be able to smooth talk a girl into bed in an hour. Why is it so hard to just freakin' say hello to the girl? Why does she have to be impossible to talk to?"

"Karma," Kim said simply. "You cannot go around using girls with no retribution."

"Really? 'Retribution?' Who talks like that?" Paul jeered.

"I stand by my word choice."

"And I stand by Kim."

"Of course you do Jared. It's because you're so whipped you can't even see it anymore."

"Oh and I suppose you're not?" Kim asked sarcastically. "'What do I say?' 'What should I talk to Jamie about?' 'Do I ask her out or should I wait? Would she even say yes if I did?' Does this sound familiar Paul?" Paul looked momentarily stunned. "You really didn't think Jared would tell me? It involves my best friend."

"I can so talk to the damn girl. I can prove it," Paul vowed.

"Wow. So romantic…" Jared and Jacob burst out laughing at Kim's comment.

"I just don't understand you. You've been worried all last night during our patrol about what Jamie thinks of you. Yet, you're still so mean and condescending towards her. Why?" Jared asked.

"And just what did that poor girl do to screw up her karama so much that she get stuck with you? I mena you've always been horrible to her. And to add to that you've been with so many girls that you probably couldn't count them all," Jacob asserted.

Paul just glared at them and set off in search of Jamie without another word. While he was walking around trying to find her, his grandmother's words came back to him. _She was right_, Paul decided. It doesn't matter how many girls he's slept with. They're unimportant. Jamie is what's important right now.

_But where the hell was she?_

Paul had been wandering around for five minutes by now trying to find her. He was wandering if Kim had warned her he was coming when he finally found her sitting at an abandoned table in the back of the library. Unsurprisingly, no one else was with her. As usual, she was all alone.

That thought brought Paul up short. He realized that he never recalled seeing her with anyone else. She used to spend time only with Kim. That was until Jared phased, imprinted, and monopolized all of Kim's time. It was depressing to think that no one would talk to his imprint.

Why was that anyhow? Because she was quiet and didn't conform like everyone else did to the latest trends, kids called Jamie a freak and ostracized her. And Paul was one of those people. He even went so far as to privately and openly mock her. Even now after he had imprinted, he was still cruel to the girl who was supposed to be his perfect other half.

Paul promised himself that that would all change. He would adopt a different attitude regarding Jamie. It was time he finally befriended his soul mate – whether she wanted him to or not.

* * *

**I know that it's short, but it has been a while since I last updated. And I wanted to give you a little end-of-the-week gift. I will most likely post the next chapter tomorrow (fingers crossed). Keep in mind that both of them are aware of each other and their respective reputations. They've just never actually talked to each other on their own free will. So, should their first "official" meeting be in Jamie's persepective or Paul's? **


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey," Paul said. Jamie flinched. "Hi," he said quieter.

Jamie looked up at him and then quickly looked back down.

"What? Won't you talk to me," Paul asked gently. Oddly enough he didn't seem angry that she wouldn't talk to him.

"What do you want?" She asked quietly.

"What? I can't come to talk to a beautiful girl without her thinking I want something from her?" He joked. Jamie shifted uncomfortably in her chair, so he changed tactics. "No Jamie. I don't want anything. I was just hoping to talk to you," he said honestly.

_Well that doesn't sound right_, Jamie thought. "Why?" _Why now?_

"Why what?" He asked lightly, but Jamie was pretty sure he knew exactly what she meant.

"We've been in the same school since elementary. Why talk now?"

"I just thought that it was time we finally got to know each other. That's all," he said evasively.

_Liar! _Jamie thought vehemently. _Why does everyone think they can lie to me and get away with it?_

"May I sit?" Paul asked.

_NO! Of course you can't! You sleep with every girl within a thirty mile radius and expect us to suddenly become friends out of the blue?! Life doesn't work that way. The way you treat girls disgusts me._

But of course Jamie was too shy to say that. And he took her silence for permission. His simple proximity made Jamie sick to her stomach. Now-a-days everyone goes around thinking sex isn't a big deal; they can go and sleep with whomever they want to with no repercussions. That way of thinking is unacceptable.

Maybe she was old fashioned, a romantic, or just plain naïve. She still held tight to the belief that sex should be between two people who are committed to each other; between two people who love each other; between two people who promise to be together forever. It wasn't called making love for nothing.

Jamie sighed. Deep down, she knew that her anger wasn't completely intended for Paul. Yes, what he did was awful. She knew that she was really only angry with her mother for cheating and ruining their family. Paul's exaggerated behavior mirror that of her mother's indiscretion, and it was easier to blame a virtual stranger than the woman who gave birth to you. At least it felt that way to Jamie.

Misreading her sigh, Paul asked, "Are you alright? Do you want me to leave?"

_Yes!_ "N-no. You're – you're okay. I was just … thinking."

"About the meaning of life?"

Despite her best intentions, Jamie laughed. "No, no. Nothing that philosophical."

"You know, when I've got thoughts inside of my head that I don't like, I go out on a date and spend some time with a pretty girl." _I bet you do __a lot__ more than that. _"Wanna get out of your own head? Come have dinner with me? There's this cool bonfire that me and the guys have every now and then. Be my date?" Paul looked at her expectantly.

"I-I don't think that that's a good … actually … ummm … sure. I would love to," Jamie reconsidered.

_If my own mother can do something crazy and reckless with a guy, then why can't I? _

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**Sorry this chapter is short. I promise that the next one will be longer. And who knows? We might even come face to face with Elliot? Who wants to see what drama he'll add to the mix? **


	9. Chapter 9

**Read, love, Review!  
**

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"Wow. You look really pretty Jamie."

She blushed, "T-thanks," Jamie said hesitantly.

"I am being serious, you know. You really do look very, very pretty."

"T-thanks. I didn't really do anything different though."

Of course she didn't. She was wearing what Jamie always wore – long jeans, flats, and that same brown sweater.

"Still. You look very nice tonight."

"Thanks," she repeated, nervously tugging on her braid. "So where are we going?"

"Sam and Emily's house. The tribe uses their backyard as a cookout area. There we sit around a bonfire and listen to the elders tell old stories about the legends."

"Legends?"

"You'll see …"

_I really want you to like them Jamie. Hell, I really want you to like __me_._ I know that I haven't been that nice to you, but I'll make it up to you. I swear I will. Oh wait. She's staring at me. Why? Oh right! The bonfire; I'm supposed to take her to the bonfire._

"Sorry. I guess I sort of zoned off there."

"Th-that's okay," Jamie stammered. "I'm guess I'm pretty boring, huh?"

"What?! NO!" Jamie jumped. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just meant that you're not boring." _Stupid, stupid, stupid! You have to be more careful around her. She's so easily startled._ "You wanna go now?"

"Sure. I'd like that."

_I really hope you do._

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"So whatcha think of the legends?" Paul asked hopefully.

"They were great. Mr. Black tells them so well that it almost has a magical quality to it."

Paul laughed. "You can call him Billy. I don't think anyone has ever called him something so formal."

"Now, now Paul. You can't keep her all to yourself," Emily scolded. "I'd like to talk to her too."

After an awkward car ride, Paul and Jamie had arrived late to the bonfire. Sensing that Jamie was uncomfortable around the pack, Paul kept by her side the whole time.

"Yeah. We'd all love to meet the world's most boring girl," Leah said rudely. Jamie flinched.

"Leah," Emily warned.

"What?" Leah said innocently. "Oh, friendly advice Jamie? Never lower your guard whenever Emily here is concerned. You turn your back for one moment and she'll sleep with your boyfriend. Then again it's not like everyone else hasn't already been there done that," Leah insinuated.

"Leah. Shut. Up." Paul glared at her. "Just ignore her Jamie. She's a lonely harpy who won't think twice about ruining other people's lives," Paul explained.

"Yeah Leah. Just shut up. It's not Emily's fault that Sam wasn't right for you," Jacob said snidely. "Hey Jamie. I'm Jacob."

"And I'm Embry. Nice to finally meet you," Embry said walking over.

"We already meet," Jamie said quietly.

"What? When?" Embry asked confused.

"I sat next to you last year in m-math. W-we were also lab partners all last year in s-science. I guess you p-probably don't remember me," Jamie said nervously.

"Oh. Well I … sorry," Embry trailed off quietly. He seemed awkward and unsure of what to say.

Again it saddened Paul that it seemed his imprint didn't have many friends.

"Well of course he doesn't remember you," Leah piped up. "Why on Earth would he remember the world's most boring girl?"

"Oh shut up Leah," Kim snapped as she walked up with Jared in tow. "Jamie is not boring."

_Yeah_, Paul thought. Although he was a little unsettled that it was Kim defending his imprint instead of him.

"What? I'm just using Paul's words," Leah said sweetly.

"W-wait. What? P-Paul said that?" Jamie looked crushed. "I-I knew it. I knew coming here w-was a bad idea. I-I have to go," Jamie stammered.

"Wait no. Jamie please don't go. I can explain," Paul said desperately grabbing her arm and spinning her around. It killed him to see that his soul mate had tears running down her face. It was all because of him.

"No he can't. And that's not even the worst thing he's said about you. You should hear what he really thinks of you," Leah said.

Paul glared at her. His imprint was starting to walk away from him, and it was all because of Leah. Well, Leah and his own stupidity and ignorance. His anger at Leah and mainly himself overwhelmed him. He began to shake and couldn't stop. Glancing at Jamie, he could tell that he was scaring her … again, but he just couldn't stop. He was just so mad. Mad at Leah. Mad himself. Just mad in general.

A scream rang in Paul's ear. All at once a chilling revelation occurred to him. He had phased. He had phased in front of his imprint. His poor, sweet imprint who probably hated him.

In a vain effort not to scare her, Paul laid down and began creeping forward on his belly towards her.

"S-stop! D-don't come any closer," Jamie whispered.

"Jamie. Don't be scared. It's okay. I promise," Kim swore.

"You knew? You knew they were these crazy people-wolves and you didn't tell me? How could you not tell me?!" Jamie asked betrayed.

Paul whimpered.

"I didn't tell you because it wasn't my secret to tell. Plus it's not like they're a danger to you," Kim tried to defend herself.

"They're really not," Emily said.

Her voice must have gotten Jamie's attention because she turned to look at Emily. She turned to _really_ look at her. "Oh my god. I-It wasn't a bear. Was it?" Jamie asked.

Emily's silence must have been enough for her. She began to quickly walk away.

"Jamie wait!" Kim called.

"D-don't follow me!" Jamie screamed.

"Wow. You really screwed that up Paul. You should have controlled yourself better. You could have hurt her," Sam said handing him pants.

"I know," Paul said miserably as he phased back. "I just got so mad."

"Oh? Why's that Paulie?" Leah asked.

"Leah. Leave," Sam commanded. She glared at everyone and then stalked away.

"You should go after her Paul. Explain to her what's happening. She'll listen. She may be reluctant at first, but she will listen. Go find her," Kim advised.

"Wait. First go take a run in the forest to make sure one hundred percent that you've calmed down. Then go after your girl," Sam advised.

And so, with the whole pack's sympathetic eyes on him, Paul turned around and started to race through the forest. He hung out in the woods for another twenty minutes. He wanted to make sure that Jamie had enough time to get home considering the fact that she had to have walked home. Paul knew that if she saw him before she got home Jamie would run in the opposite direction. Worried about her reaction, Paul slowly walked towards his imprint's house.

As he approached, he could see lights on in the distance.

_Lights on must mean she's home already. _

He took a deep breath. Oh yeah. She's definitely home. He could smell her. He could smell her and … smoke.

_Wait. Smoke? Why is there smoke? Oh no. Oh no! Oh God NO! _

Paul realized why he could smell smoke and see lights on in her house while he was still half a mile away. It was because those weren't lights. It was fire. Her house was on fire.

Soon after he realized his imprint's house was burning, he heard a terror-stricken scream.

It was the scream of the girl he hurt.

It was the scream of the girl he was supposed to love and protect.

It was his imprint.

It was** Jamie.**


	10. Chapter 10

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Jamie's heart monitor simultaneously reassured Paul and drove him mad.

He groaned as he looked over at the ruined body of his lovely imprint. The imprint he never took the time to get to know. Now he may never get the chance.

_Please. I swear that if she pulls through I will spend every minute of the rest of my life trying to make it up to her. Please just let her live. Please. _

Paul had no idea who he was even addressing in his pleas. He just simply wanted Jamie to live. He didn't even care if she wanted him anymore. He'd gladly walk away if that's what she wanted. He would do anything if she only lived.

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"Mr. Lahote? Is there anything else you can possibly think of? Any little detail could help us find the culprit." A blue uniformed police officer was standing in front of Paul after taking his statement twice.

"No I wish I could. All I saw was a man's figure running away. I was a little too busy trying to put out Jamie," Paul snapped.

Visions of Jamie on fire as she fell through her open window trying to escape ran through his head.

"Okay I think that's enough. He saw a man that was running away from the house. You've been talking to him for hours. How many different ways can my poor Paul rephrase it? Leave. Come back when you find the man who set the Mathias house on fire." Wow. Paul had never seen his grandmother so worked up before.

She had come up to the Forks Hospital to support Paul as soon as he called her. Paul, his grandmother, and Jamie's parents were all sitting in Jamie's hospital room. It had been three hours after she was brought in and only a half hour since she got out of surgery. It was all a waiting game now. Waiting to see if she would wake up. Waiting to see if she would live.

"Thank you Mrs. Lahote," Jamie's mother said quietly as the policeman just stared at them unmoving. "I'm getting sick of him too. The police in this town should really should learn how to be more sensitive," she said pointedly at the policeman.

Her father snorted. "Like you're one to talk. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you."

_Wait. What did he just say? Could Jamie's own __mother__ have set the fire?_

"Oh shut up Leonard! You have no idea if it was really him or not."

The policeman jumped all over that. "Ma'am, do you know who set that fire?"

_Yes, do you?! Do you know who almost killed your daughter?_

"N-no," Mrs. Mathias stuttered.

"Ma'am, if you know who did this, you need to tell me."

"Yeah Sarah. Tell them. Or better yet I will," Jamie's father said.

_Yes! Tell me who set fire to my imprint!_

"Fine. Okay look. I don't know for sure who did it, but my … um … my … my friend may have done it," Mrs. Mathias answered awkwardly.

Mr. Mathias looked furious. "Oh screw that! Tell the truth Sarah! It was your lover who set that freaking fire that damn near killed our daughter! He had been sending us threatening letters ever since you lost all your morals and slept with him!"

Paul just stared at his imprint's parents in shock and awe. He suddenly realized that this must be the big secret that Jared and Kim had warned him about.

"Okay sir I understand that you're angry, but we're going to need a name and address." One of the two policemen had pulled out a notepad.

"Elliot Thayer. I don't know where he is, but I do have his letters if that makes any difference," Mr. Mathias said.

"I do," his wife said quietly.

"Actually that may prove beneficial in getting a conviction if he is the arsonist, so please. Do not throw out those letters. Now. What did you say Mrs. Mathias?"

"Don't call me that. It's Miss. Miss Welsh. I'm getting a divorce. T-that's where I was w-when my baby almost died!" She started crying again.

"Don't you want to get justice for your daughter? What did you say earlier?" The policeman prompted.

"I-I know where he lives," she said quietly.

"Of course you do. What? Is it easier to bang him now that your husband and daughter know? Does it? Because look at what your affair did to your daughter! Look at her! You did that to her! You did!" Mr. Mathias angry left his daughter's room.

"Miss? Why don't we go outside and you can give us more information? Okay?"

"Fine," she agreed. With that, Paul and his grandmother were left alone.

"Paul? Sweetie? Are you okay?" his grandmother asked gently.

"They were at a divorce lawyer's office," Paul said shortly. "Her whole entire world was falling apart while I just made it worse. She wasn't even supposed to be there! It was my fault she got hurt!" Paul was starting to get hysterical.

"I'm sorry Paul. I'm afraid I don't understand," his grandmother said cautiously.

"She was supposed to be at Sam and Emily's with me! But I ruined it! I said mean and horrible things about her and it finally got back around to her. The entire left side of her body is scarred because of me! Look at those awful burn marks! They are all because of me!" Paul was full out crying now.

"Oh Paul. Sweetie, listen to me. This is not your fault. Do you understand me? This is the fault of that crazy person who decided to set their house on fire. It was not because of you. You did everything right. You called 911. You did everything you could have," his grandmother assured him.

"I could have kept her with me. I could have kept her away from that house. I never should have said those awful things about her. She may die now and I never even got the chance to apologize to her," he said miserably.

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